Healthy Honey Cranberry Cookies
This easy recipe for honey cranberry cookies is one of our family favorites. I am not a chef but they are delicious. Homemade cookies are a special treat that just can’t be duplicated by cookies from a bag. Here are the step by step directions to help your whip up a batch in no time at all.
It’s time to confess. I am a beekeeper – not the greatest baker around. However, I always have a lot of honey on hand – what to do with it? I enjoy using my honey in recipes – all kinds of recipes and cookies? Yes, please.
Homemade Cranberry Honey Cookies
One of the reasons I love making cookies is that they are hard to mess up. And, they usually come out tasting pretty good.
Are they all low fat? Nah – not really. It is hard to make cookies without some butter and calories. I will not try to convince you that this recipe lacks either – because it does not.
However, we are using two superfoods to make our honey cranberry cookies. That has to add some nutritional value to the final product.
Ingredients
Chances are you already have the basic ingredients in your pantry to make cookies. You will need all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, butter, vanilla flavoring, an egg, brown sugar and some white chocolate chips.
However, you may not have dried cranberries on hand or honey (heaven forbid) and you will need those for this recipe.
- dried cranberries
- honey
Honey
Honey performs very well in baked goods. It adds a bit of sweetness and helps retain moisture. But let’s be real, honey is sugar – so everything in moderation.
Which honey is best for your cookies? I love using raw honey because it contains all the natural goodness left by the bees. But, pasteurized honey is okay too.
Remember, properly stored honey lasts forever. Your jar of honey will never go bad or expire if you take care of it.
The color and flavor of various honeys are different due to the nectar sources used by the bees to make honey. But in a recipe, a slight variation in flavor is not normally noticeable.
Dried Cranberries
Now, lets talk about cranberries. Considered to be a “superfood”, they contain a lot of antioxidants and vitamins – along with some fiber.
People consume cranberries in many forms. Jellies, sauces and even the juice of the cranberry is enjoyed.
This recipe calls for dried cranberries. They are quite tasty without being too sweet. You can often find them in the salad bar section of the grocery.
Step by Step – Mixing it Up
This is a basic cookie recipe in many ways. (Full instructions are at bottom of article).
1. While the over is preheating to 350°F, use a mixer to combine the soft butter, brown sugar and honey.
Mix until well combined, then add the vanilla and egg. Continue to mix until creamy smooth.
2. Sift together the flour and baking soda and salt. Then slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Use mixer on slow speed to stir until well blended.
3. Stir in the dried cranberries and white chocolate chips with a large spoon or spatula. Try to incorporate them well in the batter so each cookie will have some of each.
4. When well mixed, drop tablespoon sized mounds of cookie dough on a greased baking sheet or parchment paper lined tray. Cookies should be spaced a couple of inches apart-they will spread.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 14-16 minutes, until the edges are brown and the tops are set.
Remove from oven and leave on baking sheet for a few minutes until they begin to harden.
Variations
Of course, you can add other ingredients to your recipe. Why not use chocolate chips instead of white chocolate chips.
Do you love nuts? Some pecans or walnut pieces would be great. What about raisins instead of cranberries? Yes, you can do that too.
Storing
Once they are cooled, you can store your honey cranberry cookies in an air tight container on the kitchen counter for a few days.
If you need to make preparations ahead, you can mix up the batter ahead of time and freeze for use later. Of course, you can freeze baked cookies too but I prefer fresh baked ones.
More Ideas
If the idea of cooking with honey appeals to you, try this recipe for a special Honey Bee Cake. It is precious for a special occasion such as a baby shower or bridal party.
Or just make one for yourself – why not? Don’t forget to consider these delicious bee-themed cupcakes too – with or without the topping.
Also, there are many main dishes to try – this Honey Chicken Stir Fry is perfect for a quick weeknight meal.
Honey can be used to create special spreads and sauces too. May some Honey Apple Butter in the crockpot. Enjoy it right away or use a water bath canning process for long term storage.
And, homemade Honey Teriyaki sauce is a good way to avoid all those extra substances we often find in commercial sauces.
And, if the heat of Summer is giving you the blues, try these frozen Honey Yogurt Berry Pops! A nutritious change from regular ice cream.
My simple Honey Cranberry Cookie recipe are really yummy, enjoy them alone or pair them with a Honey Bee Latte for a special buzz.
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Healthy Honey Cranberry Cookies
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Read my disclosure.Equipment
- 1 Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. While the oven is heating, use an electric mixer combine the softened butter, brown sugar and honey. Mix until well combined, then add the vanilla and egg. Stir until creamy smooth.
- Sift together the flour and baking soda and salt. Then slowly add the flour mixture to the creamed sugar mix. Continue until well blended.
- Stir in the cranberries and white chocolate chips with a large spoon. When well mixed, drop tablespoon sized mounds of cookie dough on a greased baking sheet or parchment paper lined tray. Cookies should be spaced a couple of inches apart-they will spread.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 14-16 minutes, until the edges are brown and the tops are set.
- Remove from oven and leave on baking sheet for a few minutes until they begin to harden. Move cookies to a cooling rack to complete cooling. Store in a sealed container.